Baldwin wants strong safeguards but local choice on Flock cameras
Tammy BaldwinU.S. senator from Wisconsin
Senator Tammy Baldwin said local communities should decide on Flock cameras, with strong safeguards on who can access the data.
“I think those are local discussions, and I want to give local communities leeway, noting what are the crime challenges and the public safety challenges that they're dealing with. But I do think that they need to have strong safeguards about who and how the data can be accessed, and it's really, really important that we keep in mind that the government should not be ever surveilling its citizens.”
Reporting
Other statements by Tammy Baldwin in this case
- Baldwin wants local control of Flock cameras with strong data safeguardsSame day: Mixed or conditional
Where this statement fits
Should Flock-style license-plate surveillance networks exist?
Networked automated license-plate readers record passing vehicles and let agencies search or share travel records across locations. Candidates and officials disagree over whether to prohibit these networks, keep them with legal limits, or defend their use for investigations. This tracker records attributable positions on that choice, including proposals that would affect only public funding or data access.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
TMJ4 report on how Wisconsin's two U.S. senators view Flock license-plate cameras. It quotes Baldwin from an interview and Johnson from a written statement.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Baldwin cited stories of Flock data used to stalk an ex-girlfriend and said the issue is best handled locally.
After the quotation
The report noted a proposed federal bill, the Flock Off Act, that would restrict federal funding of Flock cameras.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Baldwin leaves the decision to localities and does not call for a ban. She asks for strong access safeguards and says the government should not surveil its citizens.
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- Published here
More from this case
Read the full caseJacob Burnett says Flock-style cameras should be done away with, with warrants required if they stay
“The systems themselves can be modified to prevent nearly all abuse and be made more secure by requiring warrants for access or follow through on any data the systems collect and have all data stored on the hardware itself preventing viewing from remote locations, requiring strict login credentials and a connecting warrant number to access. These are common sense changes that if the systems are to be used I feel could correct a lot of abuse or privacy concerns but I also feel the systems should be done away with overall, especially in the realm of predictive crime analytics.”Read statement
Dean Brewer, an independent candidate for Tennessee governor, says Flock cameras should be banned
“I believe flock cameras should be banned.”Read statement
Buddy Carter says license plate cameras help investigators but need privacy safeguards
“Technologies like license plate recognition cameras can provide valuable investigative tools, but they have also raised important questions about privacy and government oversight. As these systems become more common, it is important to balance public safety with appropriate safeguards that protect individual privacy.”Read statement
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- Baldwin wants strong safeguards but local choice on Flock cameras
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The Dispute Index. "Baldwin wants strong safeguards but local choice on Flock cameras". First published: 2026-09-30. Last updated: 2026-09-30. https://disputeindex.com/events/3507-senator-tammy-baldwin-said-local-communities-should-decide